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Kansas City Set to Take Part in Mizzou Tournament
3/21/2014 12:06:00 PM | Softball
Date(s): March 21-23, 2014
Site: Columbia, Mo. / University Field
Live Stats: MUTigers.com
Twitter: @KCRoos_Softball
(Kansas City, Mo.) – The top programs in the University of Missouri system will meet this weekend, as Kansas City travels to Columbia, Mo., to take part in the Mizzou Tournament.
After a pair of tough losses to Missouri State on Wednesday, the Kangaroos will look to bounce back versus a field of teams that includes Ball State, North Dakota State, Oklahoma State, and Missouri.
THE VENUESince hosting its first game in 1981, the University Field has undergone several renovations. The most significant of those occurring in the mid-1990's with the addition of Walton Stadium, when the field was reconfigured from its original setup with batters looking to the southeast, to the current setup to the southwest.
The 2010 addition of a new scoreboard and video board for a more fan-friendly experience, along with the updating of the on-site locker rooms and lounge for Missouri's softball players are just two examples of how the University of Missouri is constantly working to maintain its fine facilities. The field has also received a new drainage system, and new bullpens located down the foul line. In addition, the Missouri batting cages have been upgraded as well as both the home and visitor dugouts.
Outfield seating was added for the 2009 season, and the stands were packed that May as Tiger fans were treated to an NCAA Regional title – the program's fourth overall, and second straight.
Outfield seats are just a part of the $325,000 renovation to University Field that began in 2005. Thanks to the generous gift of an anonymous donor, the field also features a new sand-based natural turf surface, which has greatly improved drainage.
THE OPPONENTSNorth Dakota State enters the tournament having won 12 of its last 16, including a bevy of strong out-of-conference victories over Notre Dame, BYU, Stanford, and Illinois.
Nine different players have homered for the Bison this season. Cheyenne Garcia leads the team in hitting at .382, with six players hitting .328 or better.
Krista Menke is the ace in the circle for NDSU, posting a 1.94 ERA, an 11-3 mark, and four complete game shutouts over 97.2 innings of work.
Oklahoma State has seen a 17-10 start to its season, highlighted by a five-game sweep at a UTSA Softball Classic that included Colorado State, Wichita State, and Rutgers.
The Cowgirls are led on offense by leadoff hitter Shelby Davis, who is hitting .370 with a team-leading 37 hits in 100 at bats. Tiffany Mikkelson and Tarah Ettinger have combined for seven of the team's 10 homeruns.
Simone Freeman headlines the OSU pitching staff, posting a 1.38 ERA over 17 starts, including 12 complete games and four shutouts in 116.2 innings in the circle.
Ball State is off to a 15-9 start with a resume that includes victories over South Carolina and Arizona State. The Cardinals swept the Louisville Slugger Invitational hosted by the Sun Devils, going 5-0 over the weekend.
Briana Evans paces the Ball State offense with a team-leading .426 batting average. Taylor Rager and Emily Dabkowski have been similarly impressive, hitting .390 and .366, respectively, and combining for seven homeruns and 42 RBI.
Kelsey Schifferdecker leads the Cardinal staff with 14 appearances and a 4.16 ERA. Of her seven victories, five have come by way of complete game.
Perhaps most impressive of the Mizzou Tournament field is the host Tigers who have posted an 18-7 record through their first 25 games, including a five-game sweep at the Citrus Classic over the likes of Syracuse and Ohio State, among others.
Most recently, the Tigers took two from Illinois State, including a 4-2 victory during which Tori Finucane struck out nine batters in a complete game four-hitter to earn her eighth victory of the season.
THE COACHESNow in her eighth season as the head coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, head coach Meredith Smith Neal has transformed the UMKC softball program into a formidable contender in the Western Athletic Conference and beyond, becoming one of sport's up-and-comers in the process.
Under Smith Neal, Kansas City clinched its third consecutive postseason appearance in 2013, qualifying for The Summit League Tournament with a 6-7 conference record.
In 2008, UMKC finished with an 8-31 overall record, doubling its win total from 2007 despite fielding a team with nine freshmen. The .205 winning percentage was the program's best since 2003, and the modest improvement was the start of a four-year run of increased victory totals.
Smith Neal stands as the program's all-time winningest coach with an overall record of 137-210 (.395).
Mizzou head coach Ehren Earleywine has built a national competitor at Missouri.
In his seven seasons at the helm of the Missouri softball program, the Tigers have made three Women's College World Series appearances, recorded the first three 50-win seasons in school history and have advanced to six NCAA Super Regionals. These accomplishments have come while building a .758 winning percentage to rank as one of the winningest programs in the nation since 2007.
Ball State University selected Tyra Perry, who served as the head coach at Western Kentucky for the past six seasons (2008-13), as the new head coach of the Cardinals softball program.
Perry has totaled 342 career victories and most recently guiding the Lady Toppers to their most successful campaign in program history.
Darren Mueller is in his 13th season as the North Dakota State University head softball coach. He has a record of 422-238 in 12 seasons. Mueller recorded his 400th career win vs. Southern Utah (5-13-11) at The Summit League Softball tournament.
Mueller has led North Dakota State to four Summit League tournament championships over the past five years. The Bison advanced to the 2012 NCAA Division I Tucson Regional before bowing out to eight-time national champion Arizona and Notre Dame. NDSU defeated highly-touted and nationally-ranked Hawai'i at that regional.
UP NEXTThe 'Roos will head west for three games in Los Angeles, Calif., followed by the team's WAC opening series at Grand Canyon in Phoenix, Ariz.
